Monitoring+Student+Progress

**NOTE: This page needs updating!**

The achievement objectives of the English curriculum are not designed as rigid assessment tools to measure a narrow definition of “added value”. They are broad indicators of student achievement. As students make progress in English, the signs of development are not always readily observable nor immediately measurable. There are plateaux and troughs in the cycle of individual student development as well as upward movement. But there are signs that can be looked for, taken account of and built into the recording progress. The signs may occur at a range of levels related to the work being undertaken at that age and stage.

The following list is adapted from English in the New Zealand Curriculum: • increasing range of vocabulary used in spoken and written language • increasingly elaborate and cohesive sentence structures • greater control over reading, writing and viewing a variety of types of texts • greater confidence in using language effectively in a wider range and variety of contexts • continuing growth in independence and ability to use language for different purposes • movement from familiar, personal contexts to exploring new ideas and impersonal or abstract concepts • increasing range and complexity of ideas expressed and responded to • greater ability to apply language skills and knowledge about language to new learning • developing ability to interpret layers of meaning in texts • willingness to engage with texts of a greater degree of complexity • increased volume of reading • greater confidence and skill in the use of technology in English

English departments are required to keep records: • to show individual student achievement • to show individual student progress • for assessment and moderation purposes • for accountability purposes • for cohort monitoring

Department record keeping systems could include: • computer databases • tracking sheets (Appendix 8: One Year Tracking Sheet) • individual student records • portfolios • teacher plans

[Insert department record keeping practices]

It is necessary to track individual student progress in order to identify needs, weaknesses and areas for further development.

Methods of tracking include: • teacher mark books • student profile folders • portfolios of student work • computer database • self monitoring checklists

The flexibility inherent in the NCEA makes it imperative that schools have systems for rigorous tracking of individual student performance.

To have value this tracking should encompass student performance in their English programme in any given year, but also cumulatively cover development over their whole school career.

[Insert school and department policy and practice on tracking individual student progress and achievement]

Monitoring is inherent in the tracking of individual student progress and achievement but it is also necessary to monitor cohorts and groups of students (e.g. boys, Maori, NESB, Pacific students, girls…) in order to analyse data for information on patterns of achievement. These could be prioritised depending on the needs of the school community.

[Insert school and department policy and practice on monitoring student progress and achievement]

After tracking and monitoring, evaluation allows the English Department to address some key issues: • the extent to which the English Department achievement goals have been met • the extent of progress for individual students, Maori students, Pacific Island students and other significant populations of students in the school • the extent to which actual achievement compares with expected achievement • the extent to which the varied learning needs of students have been addressed • identification of students or groups of students who: - are not achieving - are at risk of not achieving - have special needs • identification of aspects of the curriculum which require particular attention • identification of aspects of departmental programmes which require particular attention

[See Section 10: Departmental Review]

